No. 25 males’s swimming seems to solidify program into new tier of status at ACC Championships – The Cavalier Day by day

Tuesday, the No. 25 Virginia males’s swimming staff will kick off the postseason with the ACC Championship meet in Atlanta. The Cavaliers, who stand at 2-6 in twin motion, have arguably not lived as much as their preseason No. 14 rating. However, it could actually all be forgotten in the event that they make a splash in championship meets. 

This yr, expectations for the lads’s program flourished with the addition of two of the highest recruits in the highschool class of 2025. Thomas Heilman, a 2024 Olympian, and Maximus Williamson — the consensus high two recruits within the nation — headlined the category of 10 newcomers to the Virginia males’s program — one which lately, has not loved the identical ranges of historic success seen by the ladies’s staff. Now, with a newly reloaded roster, the journey to these ranges of nationwide success has been laid forth. 

Last yr, the Cavalier males completed eighth within the ACC Championship meet behind regular convention heavyweights NC State and North Carolina, plus newcomers Cal and Stanford because the champions and vice champions. Other profitable groups final season included Louisville and Commonwealth Clash rival Virginia Tech. This yr, each staff which beat out Virginia final season, is presently ranked above them within the yr’s remaining CSCAA Top 25 Dual Meet poll.  

Coach Todd DeSorbo has expressed that he’s not overtly involved with how the Cavaliers place on the ACC Championships. Rather, he’s targeted on netting the best placement potential on the NCAA Championship meet. However, bettering on their earlier marks alerts that their purpose of reaching the higher echelon of school swimming is on monitor to be achieved. 

While inserting as excessive as potential on the largest stage stands out as the final purpose, the ACC Championships is a wonderful litmus check in opposition to lots of the greatest groups within the nation who will function on the NCAA Championships. Additionally, the ACC Championships is the final alternative to document NCAA qualifying occasions. 

“It’s just going to prepare them, you know, they’re going to be able to walk into NCAAs and be like, ‘I’ve already raced the best,’” DeSorbo mentioned. “It’s not like they’re going to be deer caught in headlights at NCAAs.”   

Virginia is scorching off the Cavalier Invitational, the ultimate dwelling meet of the 2025-26 season calendar. The Cavaliers’ freshman firepower was on full show, setting new pool data. The relay of Heilman, Williamson, senior veteran Jack Aikins and freshman sprinter Noah Powers set a brand new AFC pool document within the 200-yard freestyle relay, clocking a 1:16.16. 

That time broke the document of 1:16.37 from 2024 — that includes the likes of All-American Matthew Brownstead — and in addition moved the Cavalier males as much as tenth within the NCAA this season. Breaking an already quick pool document, with three freshmen that includes, is a promising indicator heading into stiff convention competitors.

The ACC Championship meet will probably be a week-long endeavor, with each prelims and finals races occurring on a regular basis, Sunday by means of Saturday. The competitors might be streamed by means of ESPN on ACCNX.